Distributor



June 24, 1952 J. F. LAFFOON 2,601,534

DJIISTRIBUTOR Filed April 15, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 finventor James fi Laffoo'n June 4, 1952 J. F. LAFFOON 2,601,534

DISTRIBUTOR Filed April 15, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 4 ll 6 8 i I 3 8 7 I l I 15 28 I J 7 r H I? I .2/

Zhwentor Ja mes ELaffoa'n (Ittorneg S Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISTRIBUTOR James F. Lafioon, Kansas City, Mo.

Application April 15, 1948, Serial No. 21,269

' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for distributing finely divided materials in uniform ratios to a plurality of receiving devices and is an improvement over my Patent No. 1,348,885 of August 10, 1920.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in distributing flour or flour stock from a suitable source of supply to devices adapted to receive it.

With devices heretofore in use, there has been considerable difllculty encountered in the work required for installing and aligning the structure in a flour mill because of the necessity for providing openings for the ducts leading from the bottom of the distributor to various portions of the mill and the difficulty in aligning the drive shaft on the distributor with other power transmission equipment in the mill. In the manufacture of flour, it is desirable to obtain a grade or quality free from dirt or other foreign matter and of a uniform character. By proper distribution of the stock to the various machines used in the operation, uniformity of grade or quality can be insured. It is, therefore, desirable to have the stock going to the bolting machines in a constant quantity flow, uniform in proportion to the capacity of the different sections of the mill.

In milling machines of this character, there are usually a plurality of sections and it is necessary that the stock going to the bolter and various sections be divided so that it will be delivered to the bolter. in as many uniform streams as there are sections.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a table surrounded by a plurality of receiving devices; to provide a housing for the table including a hopper and having a cover which is adjustable over the housing so as to properly align the feeding spout to the hopper within the housing and with the receiving devices; to provide means whereby material deposited upon the table will be equally distributed about the perimeter thereof; to distribute the proper proportion of the materials to the receiving section; to provide means for correct and uniform flow of the stock to the sections; to provide a discharge chute or spout from the hopper to the table, adjustable with respect to location of such table on the receiving devices; to provide a spider for distributing the stock to the respective receiving devices in uniform amounts; to provide means on the spider for moving of dirt and other foreign matter from the table before it reaches the receiving devices and to provide a device of this character simple, economical to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective viewvof a device constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away to show the interior con-' struction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the invention, shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on a line 3--3, Fig. 2. 7

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a casing or housing, in the wall of which is a plurality of doors 2. The casing I is provided with a manhole or opening 3 adapted to be normally closed by a cover 4.

5 designates a cover, for the housing having a depending flange 6 adapted to fit over the upper edges of the side wall I of the casing I and the cover will turn or rotate on the casing for a purpose later shown. The cover is secured to the casing by bolts or the like 8 (Fig. 2) and by utilizing a plurality of openings for the bolts in the side wall I and flanges 6 of the cover so the cover may be adjusted in any position on the housing. Mounted on the cover 5 lay-brackets 9 and III is a shaft I I, the shaft carrying a pully I2 by means of which the shaft may be driven through a belt I2. A beveled gear I3 is mounted on the shaft II meshing with a similar gear I4 on the vertical shaft I5 which extends through the top of the casing I and which carries a plurality of transversely and upwardly curved arms I6, disposed about the hub IT on the shaft I5 whereby a spider is formed. The lower edges of the arm I6 are substantially parallel with the upper surface of a concave table I8 which is provided with a laterally projecting flange I9 extending around its entire perimeter and which is adapted to overlap the opening 20 of the material receiving devices or chutes 2| arranged in circular series about the perimeter of the table I8.

22 is a discharge chute leading from an elevator (not shown) into the chamber formed by the casing I so that finely divided material such as flour stock may be conveyed from the elevator to the hopper 23 within the casing I.

The lower end of the hopper 23 is provided with a duct 24 leading to a spherical outlet 25, adapted to mount a directional discharge member 26. The discharge member 26 is preferably made in 3 two pieces having laterally turned flanges 21 and 28 having a plurality of openings 29 for clamping the pieces together by bolts or the like 30 to hold the same on the spherical portion 3| formed by the outlet 24 from the hoppers 23. The spherical discharge member 26 may thus be adjusted with respect to the spider and-table as it is desirable that the material be deposited approximately in the center of the table so as to get equal dischar-ge entirely around the table.

It will thus be seen that the spherical discharge member willprovide for movement of it. and direct the open end 32 in any direction" desired with respect to the spider to insure proper distribution and compensate for rebounding of the material as it passes through the discharge end of the hopper. Usually, morgadesirablere sults are secured if the spout is swung to one side so that material Willbe deposited concentrically withrrelation to the spider and, table and therehy'loe evenly'distrihutedltronr the". perimeter of: the. tables Adjustment of! the: spherical diszcharge" spout; maybe"; efleoted: through: the:'opening'3iinithe topa One of the: curved: arms It is: preferablypro1- vided with a: brush: 331 having bristles.- M extende ing slightly below the lower edge of the: curved arm: to: thus sweep" there platform; [8 to remove dirt or heavy material andi foreign; matter from? the". platform. so: that it may: be removed front the material to prevent it from going; to

receiving devicesll 1 I The doors 2.: arezprovi'ded-i withnweights 35 to normally close the openings in the receiving devices so that should the receiving devi'ces ibe come clogged and the pressure of: the accumulating materialiexerting:torceiagainst theiweight will permit accumulated material'tonew through the openings covered by the" doors; Ordinarily. should the accumulated material reach theline 3 of repose, it-will lie-swept off the:flange I9 by the: ends of the spider arms;

36 designates an aspirator pipe leading from the casing and 3 1 an ihletport-Wliereby outside atmosphere may' enter: the aspirat'or" pipe when; the temperature within the casing becomes too strong.

In assembling a structure constructed as de scribed, the receiving devices are-usually statibrrlary in the buildingstructure", the casing I is then placed thereover and the cover adjusted on the; casing-by rotating'the same with" respeot'to the casing to align the discharge chute with the hopper 23* andtlie gearing carried by the cover to align with the gearing in the building structure to operate the device. The spherical discharge spout may thenbe adjusted with respect to the spider to properly proportion the flour or other material discharged therefrom so that it will be evenly distributed to the receiving devices 2|.

It will beobvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved. proportionaldistributorinafivhichathe top onrcoveir be adjusted to accommodate the drive gearing and discharge chute from the elevator to the hopper in the casing with respect to the receiving devices and at spherical discharge chute from the hopper properly proportioning the material with respect to the spider as well as a brush on the spider for: movemeniroi dirt, rocksand other foreign material from the plate so that it; will not be discharged to the receiving devices.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A1. distributor for. flhelyr divided materiaY compnlsingg. a" circular: table: having a. concave upper" surface;-a-hopperiabove the'table; a spout'depending from the hopper and concentric with the table? a nozzleaswivelled cm the spout above: the table and adapted: tobe adjusted; ecc'entrically thereof to direct anoh substantially" equally dis.- tribute said material onto the ta'ble, a spiderroftatable above: the? table, said: spider: halving! radial blades extending? overs the table: with. the lower edges of. said: blades! substantially uniformly spacediirom the upper surface; of said ta hl'ev for evenly discharging the material: tostlie periphery thereof} material; re'ceivingSdeVi'ce'sI about) the periphery oft thestable and liavingzinlet' openings below the: same";' and? a-'=bristle"di brush. on one of'- the spider blades an'dl substantially coextensive therewith, the: bristles of- 'sai'd 'br'ush: engaging the upper surface of the'table for sweeping same and" effecting movement of heavy f0reign obj e'ct's in the: material to the center ofthe concave surfac ca JAMES F. L'AFFO'ONZ REFERENCES; orran The follbwing'references areof record in the file of this patent: 

